Posted By Joanne Davidson On August 26, 2008 @ 8:15 am In In General | No Comments

H. Alexander Robinson, CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, being interviewed by The Advocate at the Celebrate Diversity reception Monday afternoon. Photo by Joanne Davidson, The Denver Post[1]

The prospect of electing a president committed to addressing such issues as gender identity, same-sex marriage and a national AIDS strategy is something to celebrate, and the Augusta Room at the Westin Tabor Center[2] was packed late Monday afternoon with legislators, delegates and others who hope that Barack Obama will prevail in the November election.
Connecticut State Rep. Jason Bartlett, D-Bethel, the first openly gay African-American legislator in the United States[3], was among those at the cocktail buffet that also drew U.S. Reps. Raul Grijalva[4] of Arizona[5], first vice chair of the National Hispanic Caucus; Peter Welch[6] of Vermont; Lois Capps and Mike Honda[7] of California; and Charlie Gonzalez of Texas, a DNC delegate and second vice chair of the Hispanic caucus.
Honda, who was honored for his pioneering support of same-sex marriage and the don’t ask, don’t tell legislation, may have been preaching to the choir when he explained that his support of gay issues stems from the fact “We never know who we have in our families, and we must nurture and support them and encourage them once they do come out.” But it’s a sentiment that others would do well to keep in mind, if I do say so myself.Marjorie Hill of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force[8] and Diego Sanchez of the Democratic Platform Committee discussed the proposed National AIDS Strategy that has been submitted to Obama.
Others in the crowd: H. Alexander Robinson, CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition; April Carson of the Alliance for Justice Action Campaign; Pedro Rivera[9], representing the Stonewall Democrats; Morris Price, national program officer for the Gill Foundation; Pam Bennett, an at-large candidate for the Aurora City Council; and Denver City Auditor Dennis Gallagher.

See more pictures from this event at denverpost.com/seengallery

Denver Post Society Editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314[10] or jdavidson@denverpost.com. She is taking a break from the column that she writes four times a week for The Post[11]’s Life/Style section to cover events connected to the Democratic National Convention.